Changes!

Right now I am enjoying the beautiful view from my window - the beach! I absolutely love the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Heidi is napping right now giving me a much needed chance to relax. Poor Heidi is incredibly shy and being around people that she is not familiar with causes Miss Heidi to cling to her mama big time. She wants nothing to do with anyone except me. Not even daddy. Add heavy duty sinus {not quite infection yet} issues and it does not make for a pleasant time.

We are on our 2nd annual trip to the beach with the Conways {and their family} and this time we headed to Edisto Beach, SC. I have never been here before, but it seems pretty nice. Very quiet and small. It is not too far from our house which was very nice to not have a long distance to travel. We're here for the week and it has been great {minus to sinus issues} so far! We usually have our trip scheduled around this time so that we can have a week together as a family before the madness of the retail world {John's job} takes control of our life and we have no family time. Right now that is all irrelevant because John is no longer part of the retail world! Yay! On Saturday John officially worked his very last day at Best Buy! No more overnights, 80 weeks, non-existent family time, unnecessary stress - all gone!

We welcome family dinners, family time, and all of the great times ahead! We will be spending so much time together that we will not even know what to do with ourselves!  Seriously, after only spending 3-4 hours together a week this is going to be amazing! John will officially be working at the dealership where I work starting when we get back from vacation. There is so much more potential for us and our family now - and the dreams are finally coming together!

A little picture of my goose for your viewing pleasure :)

Regular OB - 11 Weeks

We are now officially seeing our regular OB instead of Dr. Odom. I am a little sad that I will not have as much attention, but excited that everything is going perfect {aside from the nausea and exhaustion} and that we are closer to meeting our little one. I have still not let myself become attached to the baby or the pregnancy {which is easier this time} because of my unfortunate fear and worry. Its just my defense mechanism. I remember being the same way with Heidi while we were expecting her arrival.

We had our 11 week {I wish we could have gone at the actual 12 week mark, but we had vacation plans} appointment and it went well. I felt like I was at the doctor's office entirely too long, but it all went well. I was a little nervous about the appointment because I was not going to be able to see my actual doctor or my normal nurse practitioner. It definitely sounds very spoiled, but I only want to see "my people". They know me, they know my story, they know my craziness - and they cater to me. With "my people" I do not have to validate why I am having a panic attack or why I need an extra ultra sound. I do not have to retell my story in a sensitive place - where the story took place. "My people" keep me calm and help come up with a plan to help my sanity.

So, instead of my regular peeps I had a different nurse practitioner on my first visit back. It was not the first time meeting this NP. I met her while I was expecting Hudson - the week before we lost him. I thought something was wrong the week before we lost Hudson and I went to the OB. They put me on the little monitor thing and still to this day I feel like they didn't do enough for me then. I should have demanded more, but I was naive and I trusted them. So, seeing this NP was not the easiest thing to do. She's sweet, nice, and capable, but I know that I would have felt better seeing my regulars.

The office was a little chaotic, so we were there for what seemed like the entire day. We had our ultra sound first - it went great - HB was in the 180s. The baby was punching around :) Then we sat and waiting to meet with the NP and all went well. Gave my long list of medicines and went over my history, etc. Not really too much to report - which is good in my case!

How Far Along?: 11 weeks

Total Weight Gain?: 0

Maternity Clothes?: Not really, the swelling from starting all the pills and shots has gone down so I can wear normal clothes again.

Sleep?: No sleep. I have to drink a ton of water at night for all the pills I take so that wakes me, plus Heidi, a snoring husband, and an itchy dog that likes to scratch at night. I have given up on sleep. I do go to bed around 8:30-9 with Heidi, which is nice :)

Best Moment This Month?: John giving his two weeks at Best Buy and the thought of a normal family time!

Movement?: None yet.

Body Changes/Labor Signs?: None.

Belly Button?: Normal

What I Miss: Staying up late to blog or reading blogs. Going to bed so early stops most of that.

What I Am Looking Forward To: I think we all know the answer to this one :)

Gender Prediction: Boy

Heartbeat: 180 bpm

Heidi Started Pre-School!!

Heidi started pre-school right after Labor Day. It is a program three days a week for  few hours each day. John and I are sending her to the school at the church we go to. Its perfect because it is right across the street from where I work. I love being so close to the school because this is the first time she is being left in the care of other people {non-family} where I am not in the same building.

The first day was rough. All of the kids, well most, were bawling their eyes out. I already knew Heidi would be crying. We face the crying anytime she is not with mommy. I dropped her off and then went about an hour later to spy on her. She was great! They were eating snack at the moment and Heidi was very content. When I picked Heidi up she was very excited! She told me that she cried and I told her that was perfectly alright. Day 2 and 3 were about the same. Week 2 started off totally different. Heidi was the last to arrive on Day 1 and the classroom was calm, so she remained calm; day 2 was about the same. Day 3 was amazing. The teacher was not by the door and Heidi was walking, ran to the door, opened it, and ran right to the teacher! I was amazed and my heart lept with joy!

The teacher said Heidi is doing such a wonderful job. They call her a camel because she will not use the bathroom while at school, but I have a feeling that will come. Heidi's cousins Georgia and William also go to the same school. William is in Heidi's class and the teacher has commented numerous times on how Heidi is like a little mother hen to him. Its just the sweetest thing.

Labor Day Weekend

Over the weekend we were busy but lazy. My brother and his family came in town early on Saturday to meet William. Saturday Heidi and I went to church and then everyone {except John - BUT this will be one of the last family gatherings he has to miss due to work - more to come on that one later!!} went out to eat at Love's. I cannot even remember the last time I went to this restaurant. If you have ever seen the movie Forest Gump you can see the restaurant in the background. It was the location of the bar that the character Jenny was singing her guitar while nude. Its not a nude restaurant, they just did that in the movie. Its a very family friendly restaurant. If you go make sure to have reservations! Oh, and call ahead to make sure they booked you for the right day!

Sunday we went to the pool where Vicki and Hubert are members to eat lunch and play. Heidi had an amazing time at the pool. Anytime there is water involved Heidi is guaranteed to have a great time. The part she enjoyed the most was the slide. Unfortunately we did not get a nap that afternoon so the time before dinner, during dinner, and getting home was a little less pleasant that usual.

 

Last weekend

I should be cleaning my house right now. I just can't. I don't feel like it even though its one of the only chances I have had to do it in a long time.

Our poor sweet Hunter {a.k.a Bubba} has been staying at the vet hospital the past few days and will be there a few more. Hunter has a severe allergy to fleas and if he even has just one of those waste of space little creatures then he will go crazy. This month he has been going crazy chewing himself and scratching himself raw. We worked on trying to help him - baths, meds, anything an nothing worked. We could not find a single flea on him. While I was gone for the night John told me that Hunter had not eaten anything that whole day and he had barely been drinking, so on Monday I took Hunter to the vet first thing in the morning. I felt so awful. He had already chewed one side of his body and then on the way to the vet he chewed the complete other side and it was bleeding and raw. Someone asked if he was a rescue. I wanted to cry right there. Hunter's white blood cell count was up very high so the dr suggested we put him on some heavy meds to help the infection. The best way, since he was not eating or drinking, was to have him stay over night in the hospital and be put on an iv. Hunter has not stayed overnight in a cage since he was 12 weeks old when we adopted him - and currently he is 10. He has been making progress and today was even better progress - so hopefully he will be home soon! Heidi is so excited to see her Bubba Bear. She gets excited when I call the vet each morning to check on him and we find out he is doing better. I can't wait to get him so so we can love on him.

Tuesday we had Heidi's open house which was interesting. I am excited that she will be starting pre-school and I am super excited that she will have a chance to have interaction with other children. Heidi is already so smart, but I know she is going to just blossom! I was a little shocked that we didn't have more of a chance to talk to the teachers. The parents took the kids to their classrooms and then we went to the worship center to listen to the head person speak. It was basically going over what we had read in the handbook.

I have been meaning to post about the weekend I had, but sorry, in all my free time I just haven't. Friday night I headed to Charleston with Lyndsey, Rebecca, and Holly to listen to Beth Moore speak. It was such an amazing time! 9,000 women in one place worshiping God - how amazing! I started thinking about how much this world is changing. There are so many events like this for women where you leave refreshed rejuvenated, ready to go on full charge for God. I wondered about men - there seem to be fewer events like this for men.

Back to Beth Moore. It was amazing - the music, the company, the subject. Spectacular! Beth {I can so call her that because we are now BFs} spoke on Jacob and Esau seeing each other for the first time in 20 years. How we are to become more honest versions of ourselves. We shouldn't be different people for different situations or crowds - we should be the honest version of our self in all situations. We should not work people - we need to work with people. When we pray are you praying then working it or are you praying and obeying? Believe in your own prayer and then give it to Him. The prayer part really got to me. I thought back on when I was pregnant with Heidi and how I begged and pleaded through prayer each night for God to let Heidi be born alive and healthy. I didn't believe m prayer - until she was born. I didn't just pray - I begged, pleaded, made promises, bargained, anything I could think of to have a living child and not have to face my grief again. When you pray do you really give it to God or do you still doubt and leave yourself begging and pleading each night?

There was so much else that went on and so many other touching moments - like when the girls asked me for tissues and I provided them with beautiful monogrammed tissues only to be mocked. The nerve! There was also the fact of 9,000 women in one place - at the bathroom break time. Oh goodness - we took over the men's restrooms {well, not me} and there were still lines for miles. Hmm, what else - oh the fact that Lyndsey promised us Cheesecake Factory and then we find that there is not one. Lyndsey's friendship is currently under review.

 Heidi stayed at my parent's house while I was away because John had to work a late shift. Saturday morning my parents took Heidi to a kids fishing tournament at the local park. Would you believe that we are the proud parents of a fishing champion? Heidi one the 1-3 year old division by catching 2 catfish! How fun!

Sunday Heidi and I enjoyed one of the last few weekends at the pool and at the playground. We have not had very much outside/pool time lately. It has been raining so much lately!